Brandon Card's 2017 College/High School Open

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As a product of the Carhartt Bassmaster College Series, Brandon Card decided to do his own tournament to give back to high school and college anglers. He started it in the fall of 2016 and this year was his second annual event.

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Card went to the University of Kentucky and started a college fishing team there.

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He went to Campbell County High School growing up and they were kind enough to open their cafeteria for him to conduct the pre-tournament meeting.

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Bryan College from Dayton, Tenn., was one of the colleges to attend.

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There were quite a few prizes and gifts that Card planned to giveaway, including Bass Pro Shops gift cards.

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Each team paid a $50 entry fee meanwhile the winning team from the high school would receive $1,500 along with prizes. The college winners would receive $2,500.

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Yo-Zuri, one of Card's sponsors had a table of line to give out. This included some braid and fluorocarbon.

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Brandon Card also had two other pro anglers in attendance this year, John Hunter (left) and Chad Pipkens (right).

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Three lucky anglers would end up winning these jerseys after the event.

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Before the meeting started, anglers indulged in some barbecue from Coal Creek Smokehouse.

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Yum...

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Card had the two winning checks on display as a little extra motivation for the teams.

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He also had shirts in multiple sizes for the competitors.

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Hunter and Pipkens talk to college angler Matt Brown.

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Meanwhile a few anglers from Card's alma mater Kentucky show up to the meeting. Hunter Fulcher (right) won this event with his partner Andrew Day. Day graduated so Fulcher had Nathan Sheehan with him.

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Bryan College brought numerous teams to the event.

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While anglers waited for food, some teams did some lake study to maybe find the winning spot.

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Card addressed the teams at the meeting and briefed them on the rules and length limits for smallmouth, largemouth and spotted bass. All three species occupy Norris Lake.

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Card had Abu Garcia Veritas and Ike Series rods on display as some would be raffled off while others are a part of prizes for the winners.

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Jake Lee (left) and Jacob Foutz (right) are in attendance. The teammates from Bryan College won the 2017 Carhartt Bassmaster College Series National Championship and Foutz went on to win the Bracket and will fish the 2018 GEICO Bassmaster Classic.

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They begin giving away prizes and this angler won a Gator Guard Keel Shield to protect his boat.

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They took a group photo as everyone tried to squeeze in.

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Card awarded complete teams some of the prizes including Navionics app subscriptions.

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Then everyone formed a mob as they went through the line to grab one spool of line.

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Card poses with anglers from the Kentucky Fishing Team.

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He also poses with his wife and the Campbell County High School team.

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John Hunter's alma mater, Georgetown College, was in attendance as well.

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Saturday, Dec. 2 was the tournament date as teams arrived at the ramp on Norris Lake.

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Card welcomes each team and makes sure they signed the necessary forms from the night before.

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The first year of this event had 51 teams total for high school and college. The second year of the event had 83 teams.

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Card poses with a high school team as they pull their BassCat up to the ramp.

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The national anthem plays as the tournament gets ready to begin.

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Teams gathered and stood at attention as the anthem played and as Card gave instructions.

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They idled out of the cove and followed Card's Elite boat for takeoff.

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And they are off.

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College teams left first and were followed by high school anglers.

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...

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Card's tournament pays back half the field so as long as you catch a few fish you can still beat out half of your peers for a check.

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Card takes a pic of a team fishing near the ramp.

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They hook up with their first fish of the day.

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It was a pretty smallmouth, but it didn't meet the 18-inch minimum for smallmouth.

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Another team was throwing topwater as the water temps were just below 60 degrees.

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This angler from Western Carolina certainly won't get cold with that beard today.

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A team pulls up and fishes a rock point.

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Another opts to fish docks.

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Norris is very similar to Cherokee and Douglas Lake as it gets low during the winter drawdown and has plenty of rocky banks.

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Hooked up!

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But this one wouldn't keep for this duo.

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Boats of all shapes and sizes are welcomed to fish as long as they are up to Bassmaster tournament rules.

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Back at the ramp the weigh-in starts around 3 p.m.

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Card welcomes the Campbell County Mayor on stage to say a few words.

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Meanwhile this year there is a hot seat. Card's BassCat will house the leaders until they get bumped. Joining the anglers are pros Chad Pipkens and John Hunter as they hang out.

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Austin Smith and Noah Pierce of Campbell County finished 17th with 3.00 on the high school side.

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Kassie and Matt Dopp of Campbell County finished 14th with 3.45 pounds on the high school side.

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Jacob Frazier and Kaden Hillman of Hazard High School finished sixth with 5.30 pounds on the high school side.

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Robert and Allan Powe of George Rogers Clark finished third with 6.60 pounds on the high school side.

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Zach Napier of Middlesboro finished eighth with 4.90 pounds on the high school side.

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Luke Lowery and Ian Neff of Anderson County finished first with 10.75 pounds on the high school side.

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Matthew Roberts and Richard Cornett of Perry County Central finished second with 10.05 pounds on the high school side.

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Pipkens and Hunter interview the current leaders Lowery and Neff.

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They end up winning the high school portion and took home a cool $1,500 along with other prizes.

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Saxton Long and Luke Byerly of the University of Tennessee finished 10th with 4.00 and took home Big Bass for the college side.

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Lance Greene and Clint Barlett of Western Carolina finish fourth with 6.90 pounds on the college side.

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Hunter Fulcher and Nahtan Sheehan of Kentucky finished first with 9.35 pounds on the college side.

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Brandon Card's father was cooking up hot dogs during weigh-in for the anglers and families.

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Also they had a spread of gifts that would be given out after weigh-in.

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Bailey Fain and Trevor St. John of Bryan College finished in sixth with 6.15 pounds on the college side.

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Zach Tallent and Jake Crowe of Western Carolina took third with 7.10 pounds on the college side.

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DJ Barber and Dalton Price of Bryan College finished 12th with 3.50 pounds on the college side.

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When the last team weighed it became official. Kentucky goes back-to-back in Brandon Card's College and High School Open.

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Fulcher and Sheehan win $2,500.

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While all the checks were being written, everyone grabbed a raffle ticket to decide the prizes.

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Card gave out the rest of the shirts, line, bait and accessories to the anglers.

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...

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Meanwhile Chad Pipkens and John Hunter read off the tiny numbers on the tickets ... ha ha.

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Among the raffles were the three pro jerseys. This Tennessee Tech angler won Card's 2017 jersey.

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This Western Carolina angler won John Hunter's jersey.

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Chad Pipkens poses with Ethan Shaw who won his jersey.

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Card also gave away the Abu Garcia rods.

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And the Revo Sx reels.

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Time to award the money. Cline and Scruggs win the High School Big Bass prize.

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The high school winners Lowery and Neff took home $1,500 and Lowrance units.

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Along with Suzuki watches.

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The repeat champs Fulcher and Sheehan won $2,500 along with Lowrance units as well.